Pierre Gasly’s shocking ‘13,000’ death threat revelation puts Jeremy Clarkson in the spotlight

Pierre Gasly received 13,000 “threats on his life” after a minor team order issue at the Spanish Grand Prix, according to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Jokes such as Jeremy Clarkson’s “Franco’s got a grid penalty for being Argentinian” aren’t helping, although the FIA president has defended the TV personality’s tone.

FIA chief: This is a sickness and this is a plague

Formula 1 is facing a growing crisis as keyword warriors and social media trolls hurl abuse at not only the drivers, but also their families.

This hit fever pitch after the Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring, when Gasly’s teammate Franco Colapinto was told to move over Gasly, with the Argentinian notably unhappy with the team order.

“Swap. Swap. Hello? Swap! Swap!” raged Colapinto, adding: “This is f**king unbelievable! Yeah, great! For f**ks sake!”

It sparked a barrage of online abuse towards Gasly, who had his life threatened along with those of his family and his partner.

“Personally,” the Alpine driver told PlanetF1.com and other media, “I find it a little bit disturbing for our sport.

“I’m a top athlete, so I know I’m exposed. It’s always been the case.

“But to that extent of threat, attacks, I find it completely inappropriate, especially when it reaches out to family members, you know, girlfriend, etc. I don’t think that should be the case.”

The situation was not helped by TV personality Clarkson taking a dig, as a joke, at Colapinto at the United States Grand Prix.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of qualifying and informed that Colapinto had been given a grid penalty for taking new power unit components, Clarkson quipped: “Franco’s got a grid penalty for being Argentinian. Probably.”

Alpine chastised him in a statement to PlanetF1.

“We’re aware of the comments made in a recent TV interview from a guest of the team in Austin,” said the team. “We would like to reiterate that these are personal views and do not align with the team’s values of promoting kindness and respect.

“Franco is our driver and has our full support.”

Ben Sulayem, although defending Clarkson’s joke, admitted online abuse is a growing concern for Formula 1.

“One thing that we are facing here that we never faced is this online abuse against all of the drivers. This is a sickness and this is a plague,” he told SB Nation.

“This is more important than the view of Jeremy. When he said that he means good, he misses the old days, and that’s normal.

“But the challenges, the risks that we have from losing the sport is from the online abuse, and that’s where we need you.

“I mean, the FIA is doing its part. We did ‘United Against Online Abuse,’ but we have to use a lot of technology, AI, to expose these people. There’s no place for them, because if we don’t do something, our sport will be destroyed.

“It’s a joint venture. It’s a marathon. For Pierre Gasly to have 13,000 threats on his life, 13,000.

“We can’t do it alone.

“I mean we had stewards, [a steward] who was threatened to be killed. These are volunteers.”

Such has been the abuse from Colapinto fans towards anyone deemed to have harmed him, Alpine’s de facto team principal Flavio Briatore warned them that if it continued, he would stop Colapinto from speaking to the media.

F1’s online abuse problem

Gasly calls out online abuse after Colapinto Alpine team order saga

Flavio Briatore issues ultimatum to Franco Colapinto fans over online abuse

“If this continues, there will come a time when Franco will stop talking to everyone.

“I see a lot of anger from the fans over and over again, for no reason.

“If it continues to happen, we will stop giving interviews to Argentine television. We will stop everything because what we read there makes no sense.”

Ben Sulayem applauded Briatore’s stances.

“I liked what Flavio said, specifically talking to Colapinto’s fan base. ‘If you don’t stop the hate, we will block access to Franco’.

“I thought that was a good way to maybe send a message.”

Asked if more team principals need to send similar message, he replied: “Not only the principals.

“It’s the responsibility of everyone. The drivers have fans. The drivers can also say to the fans, ‘Stop.’ I don’t want you to be my fan if you are not behaving. So the drivers have the responsibility. They are ambassadors, they are role models, and protecting other drivers is protecting them.

“And we as the FIA, we have a responsibility. The team have a responsibility. You have a responsibility. The governments have a responsibility. Other federations have a responsibility,” added the FIA President.

“And more than that, the high-tech companies who can reach people also have to block [these people].”

Read next: Doctor reveals brutal human impact of frantic F1 2026 schedule